Blow-out preventer



May 29, 1934. J NiXON BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Filed Sept. 15. 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1934- .1. D. NIXON BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Filed Sept. 15,1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 29, 19345.

2 UNITED STATES PATENT; .OFFICE BLOW-OUT PREVENTER.

Jeddy D. Nixon, Houston, Tex.

Application September 15, 1930, Serial No. 482,043

11 Claims. (01. 251-159) This invention relates to a novel type ofblowout 'preventer.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for controllingthe passageway between an outer casing and an inner pipe therein in awell bore, so as to control or prevent-the flow or fluid from the borethrough said passageway. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a blowout preventercomprising cylinders incorporated into the casing with rams or plungerstherein whose facing ends are shaped to close around the inner pipe andwhen in closed, or active, position to form a complete to prevent theescape of fluid under pressure through the casing from the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the typehereinabove specifled wherein provision is made for also forming a tightseal not only between the inner pipe and casing but also between theplunger and the cylinder walls, the object sought being attained by thenovel shape of the plungers and a novel type of packing associatedtherewith.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention has particularrelation to'certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of the blowout preventer.

Figure 2 shows a plan view thereof partly in section, taken on the line22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the inner end of one of the plungersemployed showing the packing thereof and showing the associated parts,in section.

Figure 4 shows a plan View of the inner end of said plunger with thepacking removed but indicated in dotted lines, and

Figure 5 shows an inner end view of the plunger .with the packingremoved.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate similarv parts in each ofthe figures, the numeral 1designates a casing adapted to be set in a well bore and. whose upperend is provided with upwardly flared seat 2. Incorporated into thiscasing are the cylinders 3, 3 whose inside diameters are somewhatgreater than that of the 55 casing itself as shown. These cylinders areprefseal between the inner pipe and the casing erably oppositelyarranged and each cylinder has a head as 4 secured by bolts or otherwiseto the outer end thereof. Within the respective cylinders are theplungers 5, 5 whose outer ends have the axial tapped bore to receive theexternally threaded inner ends of the actuating shafts 6, 6. Theseshafts have swiveling connections with the respective cylinder heads 4=and their outer ends have the sprocket vwheels 7, 7 removably attachedthereto in any approved manner. The sprocket wheels '7 are aligned withsmaller sprocket wheels 8 which are fixed on a suitable driving shaft 9,said shaft being mounted to rotate on the bearings as 10, 19 which maybe supported'by arms as 11, 11 exm tending outwardly from the respectiveheads 4. The shaft 9 may be driven by a suitable turbine 12, or othermotor and rotationis transmitted from the sprocket wheels 8 to thesprocket wheels 7 through suitable driving chains as I 13. The threadsof the respective shafts 6 r are oppositely pitched so that the plungers5 will be \simultaneously driven toward or from each other. Each plungerhas a key as 14 slidable in a lengthwise keyway 15 in the correspond- Wing cylinder wall to prevent the rotation of the corresponding plunger.

The inner end of each plunger is of special formation to receive aspecial type of packing shaped not only to form a tight seal between theabutting ends of the plungers but also between the plungers and theinner pipe as well as between the plungers and the walls of the casingand the cylinders to prevent the escape of fluid under pressure from thewell when the 9 plungers are in active position. This special plungerconstruction will now be described:

The forward end or inner end of each plunger is wedge-shaped that is itis provided with the upper and lower tapering faces 16, 17 which areslightly concaved, as shown and which terminate in a transverse apex 18.Projecting forwardly from said tapering end there is a packing-retainingcage composed of the upper and lower arcuate retainer plates 19 and 20.These plates are not only arcuate so as 'to conform to .the contour ofthe inner pipe but are also curved to conform to the external'curvatureof the corresponding plunger. The retainer plates are formed integrallywith the wing-like, vertical, 1' side webs 21, 21 and intermediate web22 also formed integrally with the plunger and the forward margins ofthese webs 21, 22 are also tapering or wedge like in form and thecorresponding ends of the retainer plates 19, 20 are spaced apart asshown more clearly in Figures 1 and 5. The retainer plates 19, 20 arethus not only maintained in spaced relation to each other but are spacedforwardly from the corresponding tapering faces 16, 17.

A packing as 23 is mounted in this cage like structure of each plunger.Said packing is of suitable, resilient, material such as rubber, and ismoulded in such shape as to present a semitubular arcuate face to theinner pipe 24. As the packing material is moulded into place it willfill in between the plates 19,- 20 and the opposing tapering faces 16,17will be moulded flush with the external surface of the corresponding-plunger forming the arcuate packing surfaces 25, 26 aroundopposite sides of the plunger, which surfaces merge at the sides of theplunger as at 27, 27.

The forward or inner ends of the plungers, as thus packed, are so shapedthat when said plungers are moved together said ends will conform to theshape of and fit closely around the inner pipe 24 and resilient packingwill thus be provided between said plungers and said inner pipe as wellas between the abutting parts of the plungers themselves and alsobetween the plungers and the walls of the "cylinders all the way aroundon each side of the passageway up through the casing.

As pressure is applied through they mechanism hereinabove described, toforce said plunger together, the packing 23 will be compressed aroundthe inner pipe and between the abutting or opposing parts of theplungers and the tapering faces 16, 1'7, and the wedge shaped forwardedges of the webs 21, 22, will cause said packing to expand all the wayaround and be forced out closely against the walls of the cylinders oneach side of the passageway through the casing 1. Fluid tight jointswill thus be provided to prevent the escape of the internal pressure inthe bore up through the casing or out through between the walls of thecylinders and plungers and the well may be thus effectively shut in.

The inner pipe may be maintained at any desired position in the bore bymeans of suitable slips as 27' which may be inserted into the seat 2around said pipe, said slips being of any conventional type.

The passageway through the casing about the inner pipe may be opened byreversing the rotation of the operating mechanism and forcing theplungers outwardly in the respective cylinders in an obvious manner.

If it be desired to permanently close the Well, the sprocket wheels '7may be removed from their shafts 6 and suitable plugs screwed into theinternally threaded sockets 28 provided in the outer ends of the heads4.

The casing 1 is provided with a suitable outlet line 29 beneath thecylinders, which is controlled by a suitable valve whereby the fluidpressure in the well may be relieved as desired.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be apreferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while thebroad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended-claims.

What I claim is:

1. A blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casing and aninner pipe in a well bore and comprising cylinders incorporated into thecasing, a plunger in each cylinder, the

forward end of each plunger comprising a for-- wardly extending cage andresilient material anchored in place by said cage, said materialpresenting a forward end face and a peripheral face about the plunger,said forward face being shaped to conform to the contour of, and to fitentirely around said inner pipe.

2. A blowout preventer for forming a seal about an outer casing and aninner pipe in a well bore and comprising cylinders incorporated into thecasing, a plunger in each cylinder said plungers being movable intoinward, or active, position to close the passageway between said casingand pipe and being also movable into outward, or inactive, position toopen said passageway, the forward end of each plunger comprising a cageand resilient packing material anchored by said cage, said packingmaterial presenting a forward face to the opposing plunger and aperipheral face to the corresponding cylinder wall, the forward endfaces of said plungers being shaped to fit closely about the inner pipewhen said plungers are in said active position.

3. A blowout preventer for forming a seal about an outer casing and aninner pipe in a well bore and comprising cylinders incorporated into thecasing, a plunger in each cylinder said plungers being movable intoinward, oractive, positionto close the passageway between said casingand pipe and being also movable into butward, or inactive, position toopen said passageway, the forward end of each plunger comprising a cageand resilient packing material anchored by said cage, said packingmaterial presenting a forward face to the opposing plunger and aperipheral face to the corresponding cylinder wall, the forward endfaces of said plungers being shaped to fit closely about the inner pipewhen said plungers are in said active position, and means to effect theexpansion of said peripheral face of said packing against the cylinderwall upon the application of pressure against said end face.

4. A blowout preventer for forming -a seal between an outer casing andan inner pipe in a well bore and comprising cylinders on the casing, aplunger in each cylinder movable into active position to close thepassageway between the casing and pipe and also movable into inactiveposition to open said passageway, the confronting ends of said plungersbeing shaped to fit closely around said pipe when the plungers are insaid active position, each plunger comprising a cage at its forward endand packing anchored by said cage said packing presenting a forward endface, and a peripheral face, said cage including means effective toexpand said peripheral face upon the application of pressure againstsaid end face.

5. A blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casing and aninner pipe in a well bore and comprising cylinders on the casing, aplunger in each cylinder movable into active position to close thepassageway between the casing and pipe and also movable into inactiveposition to open said passageway, the confronting ends of said plungersbeing shaped to fit closely around said pipe when the plungers are insaid active position, each plunger comprising a cage at its forward endand a resilient\ packing anchored in place, by said cage,,said packingpresenting a forward end face to the opposing plunger and a peripheralface to the .walls of the corresponding cylinder, and means associatedwith the cage and effective to expand said peripheral face against saidwalls upon the application of pressure against said end'face.

6. A blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casing and aninner pipe in a well bore and comprising cylinders on the casing, aplunger in each cylinder movable into active position to close thepassageway between the casing and pipe and also movable into inactiveposition to open said passageway, the confronting ends of said plungersbeing shaped to fit closely around said pipe when the plungers are insaid active position, and said ends each comprising a forward end faceand a peripheral face of resilient material and having tapering faceseffective to expand said peripheral face against the inside walls" ofthe corresponding cylinder upon the application of pressure against thecorresponding end face.

7. A blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casing and aninner pipe in a well bore, and comprising cylinders on the easing, aplunger ineach cylinder movable into active position to close thepassageway between the casing and pipe and also movable into inactiveposition to open said passageway, the confronting ends of said plungersbeing shaped to fit closely around said pipe when the plungers are insaid active position, each plunger including a cage at its forward end,said cage including retainer plates and webs anchoring the retainerplates in place, resilient material anchored by said cage and forming aforward end face on said plunger'and a peripheral outer surface to fitsaid cylinder.

8. A blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casing and aninner pipe ina well bore, and comprising cylinders on the easing, aplunger in each cylinder movable into active position to close thepassageway between the casing and pipe and also movable into inactiveposition to open saidpassageway, the confronting ends of said plungersbeing shaped to fit closely around said pipe when the plungers are insaid active position, each plunger including a cage at its forward end,said cage including retainer plates and webs anchoring the retainerplates in place, resilient material anchored by said cage and forming aforward end face and a peripheral outer surface to fit said cylinder,the forward parts of the plunger and webs adjacent said material beingwedge shaped to effect the expansion of said peripheral surface upon theapplication of endwise pressure to the end face.

9. A blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casing and aninner pipe in a well bore and comprising cylinders on the casing, aplunger in each cylinder movable into active position to close saidpassageway and being also movable into inactive position to open saidpassageway, the confronting ends of said plungers being shaped to fitclosely around said pipe when the plungers are in said active position,each plunger including a cage at its forward end and a resilient packinganchored in place, by said cage, said packing presenting a forward endface to the opposing plunger and a peripheral face to the walls of thecorresponding cylinder, and means associated with the cage and effectiveto expand said peripheral face against said walls upon the applicationof pressure against said end face, and means for simultaneously movingthe plungers into active or inactive positions.

10. In a blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casingand an inner pipe in a well bore, a plunger having its forward endshaped to conform to the contour of and to fit closely about said innerpipe, said forward end being formed with a cage of rigid material and aresilient member anchored by said cage and forming the forward end faceand conforming to the peripheral face of the plunger to fit within acylinder.

11. In a blowout preventer for forming a seal between an outer casingand an inner pipe in a wellbore, a plunger having, its forward endshaped to conform to the contour of and to fit closely about said innerpipe, said forward end being formed with a cage and a resilient memberanchored by said cage and forming the forward end face and forming partof the peripheral face of the plunger, there being wedge like forwardportions of the plunger and cage eifective to cause the outwardexpansion of said peripheral face all around the plunger upon theapplication of pressure against said end face thereof.

JEDDY D. NIXON.

